Swing



A g- 1949- R. E. SODERHOLM 2,478,673

I SWING Filed June 9 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fig.

Inventor Ruben E. Saderlro/m A g 1949- R. E. SODERHOLM 2,473,673,

' SWING Filed June 9, 1947 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 I n veutor Robert E. .Soderho/m Patented Aug. 9, 1949 UNITED Robert E. soderholln wqrthingtfln, e 'n iratign l re S rial. i -15.343 42.

1 Claim. it

This invention relates generally to swings, and

moreparticularly to a swing adapted forsuspen sio n from an overhead support, and: comprising a pair of suspending cables: and a seat member pivotally secured to a back rest and a unitary handle bar and pedal; bar member, the device being adapted for self-propulsion, that is, propulsion by a person seated on said seat, the inv'ention including special means for securing the cable to the overhead structure and other improvements.'

It is well understood'that swings adapted to be propelled by persons'seatedthereon have been developed and used an d a patent oovering the basic structure of such devices is not hereby sought, but what is sought to beprotected by Letters Patent includes the hereinafter described improvements and refinements of such structure, whereby such devices are adapted to better perform the functions required; thereof and whereby the structure is generally simplified.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a swing which may be easily and enjoyably opeifated by a person seated thereon;

It is another object of this invention to provide a swing of this character which will very s o Operate, th re being 9. Sharp. ed e hq s or other devices liable to, cause injury to the user} of the swing, the pedal bar being of loop charac; ter to lessen the danger of the toot sliding there: from while the device is being operated, this feature being important inasmuch as it has been found that when a childs. foot inadvertently slides from the foot pedal in such devices, the child is unbalanced and may fall from the seat of the swing.

It is another object of this. invention to provide improved means for attaching the seat and the operating means to the other units of the swing;

And a last object to be specifically mentioned is to provide a device of this character which is relativel inexpensive and practieable to inanefacture, and which will give generally efficient and durable service.

With these and other objects definitely in view, this invention resides in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be described hereinafter in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claim, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which form a material part of this application, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the assembled swing, shown supported on overhead struc- 2 ture, the cables being broken and shortened to conservespace, p Figure 2is a front elevational View of the structure shown in'Flgure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary rear elevational View of; a portion of-thedevice;

Figure is' a's ide elevational view of a modified form'ofthis invention; o

Figure 5- is a front elevational; view of this modi d e ns Figure 6- is a fragmentary elevational view of a portion offthe modified form; and

Figure 71s a plan view, taken on the line in Figure i and representing the seat structure and contiguous portions, suitable for use with both illustrated embodiments of this invention.

Shnilaroiiaracters of reference designate similar or identical parts and'portions throughout the specification and throughoutthe several views of the drawings.

Referring nowto the drawings in detail, itwiil be noted that this swing is designed for attachment to overhead structure I0, by means of eye members |-2,' or other suitable attaching units of light character. Ijhese eye members may be secured pairs, as illustrated Figure 2, in spaced relation, to support clevis members It having terminal eyes l li secur-able in the eyememhers i2, and adapted to be secured toand; to support the upper'ends. of; the cables l8.

The lower ends ofthese cables 18 are secured to eye members 20 and 22 on the upper ends of the back rest 24 and the unitary member 2 6; respec tively. This back rest 24, as represented in Figures '1 and 3" maybe of very simple character and comprise a single length ofrod, preferably curved as at 28, and pivotally secured to the seat-supporting bar members '30, adjacent the rear ends thereof, by transversely disposed cross membersor pins 32; associated with an eye 34 formed on the lower end of the back rest 2 4, These seat-supporting bars 30 will ordinarily be of tubular material and'are in spaced parallel relation with'the cross member or pin 32 integrally secured thereto, and a second pin 36 is similarly secured adjacent the front ends of the bars 30, so that a solid structure is provided for the support of a seat member 38. Since this invention is primarily designed for construction of metal, this seat member 38 will ordinarily be welded to the bars 30, intermediate the ends thereof, and the seat may be formed with beveled corners as in Figure 7, or otherwise formed according to individual preference.

It should be carefully noted that the pins 32 and 3B are adapted to be inserted through and to coact with sleeve members 40 and 42 secured to the eye members 34 and to the web portion 44 of the unitary member 26, respectively. These sleeve members provide better bearing support for the seat and tend to prevent unduelooseness or rocking thereof during the operation of the swing. H

The unitary member 26 is comprised of the said web portion 44, an upper loop comprising a handle bar 46, and a pedal bar 48 which is also of loop formation, both loops being flattened horizontally, as illustrated in the drawings. described above the sleeve 42 is integrally secured to web portion 44 and the pin 38 inserted through this sleeve supports the front ends of the bars 30 on the said unitary member, the connection being of a pivotal character allowing the rocking or oscillation of the unitary member by hand and foot action. The upper end of the unitary member 26, that is, the flat upper portion 50 of the handle bar 46 is provided with a sleeve 52 having the eye member 122 integrally secured thereon. 7

It is preferred thata figuresuch as a horse head 54, fashioned from sheet material, should be secured to the unitary member 26,the device being readily insertable between the two portions of the web 44, and will ordinarily be weldedinplace.

The modified form of this invention illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6 includes a clevis 56, of U- shaped form, having in-turned terminals 58 pivotally secured in the ends of a sleeve member 60, which sleeve member is formed by rolling the end of a plate 62, and this plate 52 issecured to the supporting structure Ill by any suitable means such as screws or bolts 64. This modified form of the invention, contemplates using a cable l8 similar to the cable 18 used as described above, secured to a unitary member 26 constructed according to the above description and another I8 is secured to a back rest 66 of a structure slightly different from the structure of the back rest 24. The back rest 66 comprises a loop of bar material with the lower ends thereof integrally secured to a sleeve 40, similar to that already described, this structure providing for slightly improved rigidity of connection between the back rest and the sleeve.

If preferred, the unitary member 26 may be altered as indicated in Figure 5, wherein the web 44 is simplified to comprise a single length of tubular material 68 and the handle bar 10 and the pedal bar 12 are formed by simply looping the ends of jects sought to be achieved thereby but, in recapitulation it may be noted that a person using the swing will seat himself on the seat 38 and by placing his feet in the pedal bar loop 48, grasping the handle bar 46 and rocking the unitary member 26, will be able to propel himself without the aid of an accomplice. The theory of such propulsion neednot be carefully detailed here, it being only necessary to point out that the center of gravity of the swing and the person seated thereon is shifted when the unitary member 26 is moved. As a result, if this rocking motion of the unitary member is made of periodic character, a

series of impulses will be imparted to the swing and oscillatory motion of considerable amplitude may be accomplished. Suspension of the swing this single web portion 68. It is preferred that the from a plurality of points enables the operator to control the movement of the swing more carefully and to decrease the tendency of the swing to circle or to become erratic in movement. Another advantage, arising from the looped handle bar 46 construction, is the provision of a selection of portions at different heights above the seat of the swing for use by children of different ages. The looped pedal bar 48 also provides a choice of differently spaced supports for the feet.

Though there has been shown a particular embodiment of this invention, and certain preferred modifications thereof, this application is not limited to this particular embodiment and modifications, but it is desired to include in the scope of this invention the construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions substantially as set forth in the appended claim. 1

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

A swing adapted for suspension from an overhead support, comprising a pair of suspending cables, means for pivotally securing the upper ends of these cables to said support, a back rest secured to the lower end of one of said cables, a unitary handle bar and pedal bar member secured to the lower end of the other cable, a substantially horizontal seat terminally and pivotally secured to the lower end of said back rest and to an intermediate portion of said unitary member, said unitary member being constructed of tubular stock and said intermediate portion comprising a web disposed between said handle bar and said pedal bar, said bars comprising closed loops.

ROBERT E. SODERHOLM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 906,120 Draper Dec. 8, 1908 1,260,671 Hicks Mar. 26, 1918 2,092,993 Tinker Sept. 14, 1937 2,129,140 Knight Sept. 6, 1938 

